A Loss in the Storm -A Kurtis Trent Tribute
by AliceLuxTrent
Summary: These two chapters written by me and a dear friend of mine are written for Kurtis Trent's birthday! (This contains an OC I've pretty much grown up with. Thus, follows my story Ortus Ecce.) In part 1, Kurtis wakes up to a stormy morning after having a harsh nightmare of his Father. He later figures out the ultimate, yet bitter truth. In part 2, we see how Konstantin had died...
1. Part 1: A Grave Letter

**26th June 2014. A Tribute to Kurtis Trent.**

~ By AliceLuxTrent and Crescent Moon -Jessica151294 ~

**A/N** (From AliceLuxTrent): We originally planned this to be a one shot actually but after some discussion we're actually going to make two chapters. But both are totally different scenes and moments. Unlike this chapter, **Crescent Moon - Jessica151294** will be writing most of the next chapter as I have written most of this one so she gets credit for Chapter 2 :). She's also the one who came up with this so that credit goes to her as well :). There will also be some Latin terms in here. For example "Pater" means "Father", "Frater" means "Brother", and "Soror" means "Sister". This contains an OC of mine named Alice (figured out my username yet? xD). Anyway enough rambling, enjoy! And Happy Birthday, Kurtis!

**P.S. **The second chapter will be the reason this story is rated M. A bit of this one for swearing but definitely the second one. You'll see what I mean. Just a fair warning. I do hope you'll enjoy both chapters though!

Cheers!

-Alice and Crescent

**A Loss in the Storm**

_Part 1: A Grave Letter_

_(Dream written by Crescent Moon)_

_(The rest written by AliceLuxTrent)_

_There he was. He was living it again. The gray clouds above him had hidden every trace of sunlight, as if they had known the sorrow in his soul and hid every false hope. Every delusion of escape or redemption. He felt content in the shadow of the clouds. He raised his head and stared at the darkened heavens, his blue eyes searching for the one that was shedding those tears as the first drops of rain gently touched his cheek. As he remained there knelt, he took a deep breath and prepared himself for this. Here we go again._

"Get up, Heissturm!", _the 19-year-old warrior heard a man say. Kurtis Heissturm obeyed as if his life depended on it and stood up immediately. He turned around slowly to face the man that had voiced his demand seconds earlier. He seemed quite older, in his mid-forties. His eyes as dark blue and just as penetrating as Kurtis'. His dark brown hair that reached his shoulders were blown away by the wind, making him seem stern and for some, even intimidating. But not for Kurtis. He might be a Grand Master of an almost deceased Order but he was not his master. And he would show him soon. Soon._

_Like in his memory, he expected his father, Konstantin Heissturm, to tell him all over again the grave situation the Lux Veritatis Order was in so as to encourage him to improve his fighting skills while they still had the time to train. But the memory did not follow its destined path. All of a sudden the clouds became dark, too dark to tell the difference between night and day. Everything was shadowed and a tempest surrounded the father and the son. Kurtis saw his father be surrounded by shadowy entities with an almost demonic face. He could not make them out clearly due to the merciless wind but he was certain those creatures were vile and meant to hurt Konstantin. As if by instinct, Kurtis tried to run towards Konstantin but something was preventing him from moving. Something or someone was keeping him back, pulling him away from the Grand Master. But the young man's eyes could see no one behind him. This invisible force pulled him farther and farther away from his father; and Kurtis, even though unable to understand the reason behind it, wished to help his father and take him away from the darkness that was poisoning him._

"Pater!" _he called out, his voice barely heard in the heart of the tempest. Everything was becoming dark. Everything was lost and Nature was unleashing her might._

* * *

Kurtis's eyes opened widely as he swiftly sat up the bed and tried to catch his breath. Often times he would have these nightmares about his father. Ever since he abandoned him anyway. It's almost like some supernatural force was following him (the demons?) and trying to indirectly make him realize his mistake through his dreams and nightmares. Though despite that, Kurtis had no regrets about his decision. However, though he never liked his father, he still always wondered about him. Like what was he doing now? Was he still alive? Questions like that always kept bugging him. But he also didn't bother to find the answers, as Kurtis and Konstantin could never reconcile the differences between them.

Finally he started to calm down and he turned his legs off the bed and tried to get up but he was still exhausted. But thanks to that nightmare, there was no way Kurtis was going to fall back asleep. Just like in his dreams, it was heavily raining outside in reality with the occasional claps of thunder. He checked the digital clock on the end table beside him. It read: 7: 36 AM. He stretched himself and finally got the energy to push himself off of the bed. He slowly made his way to the window near him and looked outside into the streets of Bordeaux, France. The morning rains were sort of darkening his already sour mood. "Can I have one day where something's _not_ trying to make me depressed...?" Kurtis said to himself.

At that moment he decided he needed a shower as he was very sweaty from those nightmares.

* * *

Kurtis was just sort of leaning his arm against the wall in front of him in the shower, deeply lost in thought. The hot water falling down his bare skin felt like Heaven after that particularly nasty nightmare. That wasn't the only nightmare he had last night either. Before that one, he had a very gruesome one. It was another of his father, and he was dying. Painfully. Eckhardt was in it as well and he was cutting Konstantin open, and emptying him of his innards, which made Kurtis despair greatly. He never could get those screams out of his head. He may not have been close to his father at all but that scene was just... too much for him. He dealt with countless events like that whilst in the Legion, thanks to those bloody demons. But this was his _father_.

Konstantin and Eckhardt weren't the only ones in the dream either. Kurtis saw a woman in there, crying and mourning Konstantin's death. And she wasn't Kurtis' mother. She was in fact another relative of his. One he cared about more deeply than anyone else in his family or even the entire world: His little sister, Alice Heissturm. She was in deep despair within the dream and continued to beg for their father to wake up and come back to life, but it never happened. But that was all he remembered.

How he missed Alice at that time. Kurtis and Alice were like bread and butter. They were as close as any pair of siblings could be. For eight long years he hasn't seen or even contacted her and vise verse. He sometimes wondered if she was still alive even. But even if she was, he would not be able to see her again. With what he's done in his new life, he would be putting her in grave risk. Not even that, Alice hated that kind of stuff. She was not one for "Legions" and "Mercenary work". It would break the bond between them. The sheer knowledge that Kurtis has done nothing but killing, killing, and more killing during his time in both organizations would, to say the least, break her heart. No, he couldn't have her in his life now or ever again without risking her own. Though he left the mercenary jobs when he found out Gunderson was allying himself with the Cabal and Eckhardt, he just couldn't put her through that mental agony.

He heard the door of his apartment room knock. What good timing. Kurtis got out of the shower, dried himself, and put on a new set of clothes. Kurtis then proceeded to walk to the front door and open it, facing the man with his usual stern look, a look he pretty much inherited from Konstantin. "J'ai une lettre pour Kurtis Trent" The mail man said, which translated to: "I have a letter for Kurtis Trent". Kurtis sighed and took the envelope and walked back into his apartment "Merci." Kurtis said before shutting the door.

He sat on the bed again and looked at the envelope. His eyes widened when he saw the return name "Alice" on it. Was it his sister? No it couldn't have been. It's been _way_ too long! This must have been a different Alice. However her handwriting was very so close to his sister's and he didn't know any other Alices. He felt anxiety rising within him. If it was Alice Heissturm herself contacting him, it wouldn't be good news. With hesitant movements, he began to open the letter...

That's when he heard another knock at his door. "What the hell do you want now?" He said mostly to himself with annoyance. He rested the partly opened letter on the bed, got up, and opened the door. There in front of him was Bert. His very, very British friend. Or more like acquaintance (thanks to Bert's... distinctive sense of humor.)

"What do you want?" Kurtis asked in a bit of a rude way. "Oy, someone's a bit ticked off. What happened last night? Someone kick the crap outa you?" Bert said. Kurtis almost gave him a hostile look. "I'm _really_ not in the mood now, Bert. Can you annoy someone else?" Bert cocked an eyebrow. "So what's gotten into you, Kurt'? I only came over to deliver a couple of things to you." _Why didn't the mail guy deliver whatever he has to me instead_? Kurtis thought. And as if his thoughts were read...

"She requested me to personally send it to you. Said she didn't want to risk letting any uhhh... secrets loose or something. Whatever she meant by that." Kurtis now had a confused look on his face. "Who's "She"?" Bert just shrugged. "I have no idea. She wouldn't tell me her name. I was in Prague just recently and a woman, who I might add looked a lot like you, specifically told me to deliver this to you. It's just a couple of boxes. She told me not to look inside though and, yes Kurtis, I obliged. She seemed pretty upset about something so I don't really know what's going on here. But anyway..." Bert handed Kurtis two small wooden boxes. One of them had a golden key hole in it. The other was silver. Both had keys with their chains wrapped around the box. Kurtis took them.

He had a very concerned and confused look on his face. 'She looked a lot like you' Kurtis remembered Bert saying. Maybe it... really was Alice. But why was she sending him all these things now? _What the hell's going on here_? Kurtis thought. He then thought that Bert has never been this serious before. Something bad must have really happened. Now Kurtis was not looking forward to reading that letter. "Anyway, I need to head out of here. Need to pay that leech of a business man for renting his plane. Hmm shall I send my regards to that girl if I see her again?" "Amscray..." Kurtis replied. Bert then left, Kurtis shut the door and put the boxes on the end table by his bed. He then retrieved the letter once more.

_I really don't wanna know what's in here_. Kurtis thought. He leaned against a wall by his window and with very, _very_ slow movements he began to open the letter more. Finally he opened it and he began reading.

Kurtis' eyes widened greatly at what he read and couldn't help but let out a small gasp. He suddenly couldn't find his breath anymore and felt a great pain in his chest from his heart racing in shock. In the letter read:

_Kurtis,_

_It's me. I'll admit this will not be any good news. It's... very horrible news actually. I can't be too specific in this letter but our Father... he's... he's dead. He was murdered. I contacted Mother about this and she didn't take it well at all. I... I couldn't save him. I only hope that you can forgive me for that._

_Father requested me to deliver one item to you and I had Mother send me the other two items so I can send them to you. The two from Mother are in the box with the silver key. The other one by me has the gold key. He requested these be sent with his dying breath so I had someone you knew personally deliver them to you. I can only hope he didn't look inside or lose them as I have no way of getting to you myself and I couldn't risk sending it through postage. _

_I don't know if you'll actually get this letter but if you do, I'm so sorry. I wish I could have done more to save him. I was... held still. But I can tell you no more for now except for this one name: Pieter Van Eckhardt. _

_I hope to see you again one day, Frater. Until then, I wish you well. _

_Lux cras ob vivo,_

_Alice_

Only Alice herself would say that in Latin. It _was_ her. Then he realized, she had witnessed Konstantin Heissturm's demise. Kurtis couldn't help but sit down on his bed and just stare at the letter containing the news of his father's slaughter. The message was clear to him, Pieter Van Eckhardt has finally gotten to him. How Alice managed to survive if she watched though, was a mystery. But at least she was alive. But now their father was dead by Eckhardt's hands. And if murdered by him, it would have been very grisly. Like in his dream...

Kurtis shook his head in denial, not wanting to believe any of this. "No... no." His voice was merely a whisper. He then looked at the boxes Alice had Bert deliver to him. Kurtis took the silver one first but then sighed. "Live for tomorrow's light." He translated her last message. "You've always been a faithful one, Soror." He then proceeded to unwrap the key's chain, and finally unlocked it.

He opened it and there inside the box lied two dagger-like objects with violet crystals as their blades. _The Periapt Shards...?_ Kurtis thought. Two of the three Periapt Shards lied in that box he held in his hands. But why wouldn't his father have these with him at the time of the attack? His mother must have known, else she wouldn't have sent these to him. This was a sure sign that he has been killed.

Kurtis took a deep breath and settled that box down for now. He then looked at the box with the gold key and grabbed that one. He did the same thing as he did with the silver one, and slowly opened it.

Inside, lied the one thing that his father would have NEVER parted with unless absolutely necessary. Inside was a mystical item made by the Ferilium itself, the deadly, golden disk-like object called the Chirugai. Kurtis' hand was trembling but he took the discus out of its container and held it through the finger holes. Kurtis then closed his eyes and began to focus.

Almost with complete ease, the Chirguai glowed, unleashed its razor-sharp blades, left his hand, and was spinning in the air around him. Kurtis controlled it like a master and the longer he used it, the more its power... _bonded_ to him. He felt it bond with his soul and try to become one with his abilities.

Shocked from that event, his mind left the Chirugai in an instant and it dropped to the ground, lifeless again. Kurtis went and picked it up and just stared at it. Stared at his reflection from the golden metal. He was in absolute shock that these two items that belonged to his father, now belonged to Kurtis himself.

But his emotions eventually caught up with him. His father had just _died_. He was gone and Kurtis didn't do a thing to save him. Instead, he decided to hate his father for having him go through those cruel ordeals in the Order. It was a hate so passionate that he wanted nothing to do with his father ever again. Kurtis even thought that he wouldn't mourn his death either. But now that it's happened, he realized how wrong he actually was.

Deep down, Konstantin Heissturm _was_ his father. Kurtis dropped the Chirguai on his bed, abandoned them in his room and ran outside of the building into the strengthening storm. Weather that so matched this event. He went to someplace where he couldn't be seen, into an abandoned alleyway. There, he leaned his arm against a wall and let his head rest on it.

The reason he had gone here is that he could hide himself so people wouldn't have to see him... sobbing. He silently sobbed as the rain was soaking his black T-shirt. He had lost his father, even though he hated him. But he was still his father nonetheless. He cried as silently as he could, mourning the loss. The tears became stronger as the realization hit him that his dear little sister had watched the entire event. This would have been nothing compared to what she had to go through. He wondered what she was doing now. How was she coping? Kurtis might have always been emotionally strong (except at this time), but Alice was not.

He apologized to Alice in his head multiple times to what she more than likely had to see. But then Kurtis felt a new emotion rising within him. Something he had almost always felt throughout his life. But this time, it was stronger. In fact, the strongest it has ever been. He felt rage. He felt the need to avenge his father's death now and he knew the one who was responsible. Pieter Van Eckhardt.

Kurtis whispered to the sky with his voice cracking from all this new rage. "I'll fucking find you and kill you, Eckhardt. I. Will. Fucking. Kill you and rip your God. Damn. Head off." He continued to look into the gray skies as the rain fell on his skin. There was a loud crash of thunder and Kurtis took a deep breath.

"I'll avenge you, Pater."


	2. Part 2: A Fading Light

**A Loss in the Storm**

_Chapter 2: A Fading Light_

**A/N: This is Crescent Moon -Jessica151294! This story belongs equally to me and my very good friend, AliceLuxTrent! This chapter is rated M 'cause it contains graphic death and gore so if you are not tolerant to such things I suggest that you avoid reading it! You have been warned!**

**As my friend and fellow writer possibly mentioned, this fanfic is a tribute to Kurtis Trent as today it's his birthday! Happy Birthday our beloved blue-eyed warrior! :D**

**The first six paragraphs were written by AliceLuxTrent! The rest of the chapter was written by me! I hope you enjoy reading this! Disclaimer: Neither of the writers owns Kurtis Trent, Konstantin Heissturm or any other characters mentioned apart from Alice, who has been created by AliceLuxTrent!**

Horrible, blood curdling screams were all she could hear along with her own screams of horror. "Pater!" She cried out. She nearly vomited at the smell of blood and digestive juices spilling out of his body. She watched in absolute horror as the murderer was harvesting his innards into little plastic bags one by one. Blood was pouring out of his mouth and nose like rivers and he only continued to scream and swear at his killer. He had tried so hard to resist showing his pain to the Black Alchemist with all his might. Mainly for her sake. But in the end it was hopeless. He was suffering _way _too much. Suffering that no man, not even a warrior like him, should have to bear.

Finally it was over. However, he was finally emptied of his innards except for his lungs and heart. How he was still alive, was a miracle. "Your suffering is... exhilarating, Konstantin Heissturm." The Black Alchemist mocked. Konstantin couldn't even talk anymore as he was in so much in pain. When he tried, no voice would come out of him. "I'm surprised you're not dead yet. Every other of you Lux Veritatis scum have died almost instantly the first organ I removed. But no matter. You're a very special kill for me and I _should_ be the one to finish you off, if the gentleman beside me hadn't of earned the right." He glanced over at another man wearing mostly black, with a red scarf and had light blonde hair. The Black Alchemist knelt beside the dying Grand Master. He took a glance at the woman held still by Marten Gunderson and smiled at her darkly, then looked back at Konstantin, his face showing so much pain. "I had no idea you had a daughter, Heissturm. This makes things more... exciting! Shall I have you watch her suffer? Or should I have my second-in-command end your pathetic life?"

With the very, _very_ last ounce of his strength, Konstantin pushed Gunderson away using his telekinesis, freeing his daughter. He then formed a protective shield around her so that they could not touch her again. Gunderson pounded the shield almost uncontrollably, trying to break its power. He even shot it with his pistol, and it only deflected and shot into Gunderson's arm. But he didn't even flinch. However, the shield would be unbreakable until Konstantin would die, causing the shield to destroy itself as well. But at least he could protect his beloved daughter for as long as he was still alive. But this had a bad effect on him as it nearly stopped his heart completely. He tried his best to breathe so his heart would keep beating for as long as possible. However, his will to live was beginning to slowly fade as well. He actually somewhat wished for death. He couldn't take this pain anymore and Konstantin shed silent tears of pain.

"Very impressive, Heissturm." The murderer said. "I will get your little girl eventually though. But I suppose, until that time..." The Black Alchemist nodded at his second-in-command, and he began to approach him.

"Just leave him alone, Eckhardt..." the woman said in a tear filled voice. Pieter Van Eckhardt looked at her and spoke mockingly. "You should be glad he's dying now, dear girl. He won't have to suffer anymore. He wouldn't live another hour anyway." He laughed silently but darkly. She knelt to the ground, tears lining her cheeks. "Father..." She whispered.

Konstantin looked at his beloved daughter with such sorrow. He whispered her name back to her. "Alice..."

As soon as he did though he coughed hard, a considerable amount of blood escaping his mouth. Afterwards he took slow breaths, the very last string that was holding him to life. Alice kept shedding so many tears, her vision became somewhat blurry. "It's all my fault! I should have protected you..." she spoke with a trembling voice that betrayed her panic and sorrow.

Konstantin could barely make any sound. But with some effort, he managed to utter some words, whispering so silently that his daughter could barely hear him. "I'm glad it was... me instead of you..." he managed to say with a voice unrecognisable to her. Speaking weakened him greatly and holding on to life was the toughest battle he had ever fought.

Despite her sobbing and her state of great anxiety, she heard a door close with force behind her. She turned around to face a man, the only one of the merciless murderers that had remained. Alice couldn't accept any of this. She would fight, even in her broken state. She stood up and defensively stayed there, protecting her father. The man with the blonde hair did not seem alerted or amused, not even in the slightest. "Just walk away, don't make this harder for you." he said with a tone of indifference. Alice was certain she was dealing with the most insensitive man she could have ever met.

"Stay away, you monster!" she yelled in turmoil, not even thinking of obeying the enemy. The man just shook his head in a disapproving way and the next thing he did was raise his hand and leave in it the air. Then he remained immobile as if trying to concentrate. Alice frowned in confusion, unable to realize what was happening at that moment. The next thing she knew, she tossed away to the nearby wall but without getting hurt as her father's shield was guarding her well. Trying to run towards Konstantin proved to be in vain. As impossible as it seemed to her, she had no control of her body and her legs could not be moved, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how hard she prayed for it. Somehow, for a reason unknown the man had an ability to restrain her completely. And now he was ready to receive Eckhardt's gift; to be the one that slays Konstantin Heissturm.

The man knelt beside the dying Grand Master, causing Alice to desperately think he would deliver the final blow before she had the chance to set things right. Before she even had the chance to at least say goodbye. "Don't touch him, you son of a bitch!" she shouted in rage and tried to move again only to be pulled back with an instant but penetrating pain she would remember for days. She cried out in agony as she did not expect that kind of penalty. "There's no improvement to the intelligence of your kind, even after all those centuries." she heard him utter in a venomous manner._ "Centuries? How long has he been fighting the Order...?" _she could not help but think. Alice noticed a small dagger in the man's hand even though he had his back turned to her. Its blade seemed extremely sharp. Who knew what kind of madness was within him? She feared the worst. Tears began to flow again uncontrollably. She couldn't bear to see him suffer again. "Stay away from him!" she screamed in despair, her whole body sweating from the anxiety. Her words did not alert him in the slightest. He just stared at the blade as if he was looking at the most beautiful thing in the world. Konstantin was breathing heavily but remained silent. He still needed to make sure his shield was protecting Alice so he could not afford to fight back verbally or physically.

The next thing that happened was something neither Alice nor her hurt father expected. The mysterious man slightly cut his wrist but not too deeply. Konstantin saw the blood of the man flow. It was black. _"A nephilim? Working for Eckhardt?"_,he thought dreadfully. The vile man let his blood flow and be spilled on one of Konstantin's countless wounds. His movements were slow and his eyes closed. The man was whispering something so silently that neither of the Lux Veritatis members could hear. Konstantin feared this was some kind of ritual. His death would be more terrible than he thought; he was becoming a sacrifice for the nephilim race.

After some minutes that felt like an eternity, the man stood up and turned around to face Alice. She stared at him in wrath and terror at the same time. Her eyes explored the area of his wrist but there was no cut there. Not a single scratch. Just a strange symbol on his palm. She felt intimidated. What kind of powers could Eckhardt's henchmen possess? "Don't think you can escape, _Alice_" he emphasized on her name as if trying to mock her. "When we get to you, we won't be so merciful" he added. "Go to hell!" she responded in rage, still under his curse of immobility. "Not before I send _you _there" he said and headed for the door. He seemed calm, as if all those events that had taken place did not disturb him at all. Alice stared at him with an expression of hatred until the door was shut behind him. As soon as the door shut with force, Alice could move again and was not restrained anymore. She ran towards her father and knelt beside him. She watched in bitterness as Konstantin took deep breaths. Every breath he took was a miracle. No ordinary man would have survived for so long.

He tried to move his hand to touch his beloved daughter's one but all he could move was his fingers. This alone proved to be a deed, considering his horrid condition. Alice noticed her father's efforts and held his hand gently, as if he was fragile and about to break. He was always so strong. He fought for the Order with pride and majesty like his father, Gerhardt Heissturm. He had become the Grand Master because his duty was his life and he willingly sacrificed his fate to protect the Light of Truth 'till the end of his earthly days. He had protected his people and his family with honour. He had made his father proud. Now it was his son's turn.

Kurtis. He had left long time ago. He had rejected the greatest of blessings God had graced him with; his role as the Son of Light. He was destined to become a redeemer, the one that would save the Lux Veritatis Order from the greatest darkness humanity's history had ever known and he had simply defied all this. But instead of feeling rage and disappointment, he felt guilt. He had been way too cruel with him and barely praised him. He always thought that training him in the toughest manner possible would make him a noble warrior. But now, during the very last minutes of his life, he understood he was wrong. _He _was the reason Kurtis had hated the Order, _he _was why his son hated him, _he _was the one that had driven Kurtis away. He was the reason.

"I failed Kurtis... I failed... you..." he muttered as loudly as he could. This caused him to cough again but fortunately without the price of more blood loss. Alice widened her eyes and held his hand more tightly as a response to his previous statement. "No, father!" she spoke with a loud voice, her whole body now beginning to shake. "You protected us as much as you could. You've always been a caring father to me. You've always tried your best, even with Kurtis. Don't say such things, please father".

Alice's words did not have the power to extinguish the fire in Konstantin's heart that was burning because of his guilt. Kurtis had become a prodigal son and now he hated him. He was sure he wouldn't even care when he'd find out about his death. Perhaps he'd even feel content. Throughout his life, he had managed to earn Alice's love and respect. But now she was witnessing his bitter demise, exposing his weakness to a daughter he had wished to protect from the maliciousness of the darkest creatures that had walked on this earth. Eckhardt had granted him the most hideous death. Not because he had removed his organs and let him die due to excessive blood loss. But because he had poisoned Alice's heart, condemning her to be haunted by her father's death until the final sun set for her. He had failed both of them after all.

He didn't have much time. He had to do what he had vowed to his father. The memory so vivid in his head._ "I will protect the Lux Veritatis Order, no matter what the cost. And when my time comes, I'll make sure our legacy remains safe" he had spoken with pride as he clenched his hand to a fist and put it to his heart so he could seal this sacred Oath. Gerhardt had nodded in satisfaction. "The Order is proud of you, my son" he had reassured. _Those words had been his path, his destiny. Those words had been the only thing that kept him going for so long. He wished he could have told the same to his son. He wished Kurtis could be the heir and protect the legacy. But now he was forced to take different measures. "Alice... The Chirugai... Give it to K-Kurtis... And the Shards too... Marie h... has them..." Alice swiftly tried to calm her father down. No concerns should torment him at that moment. "Shhh father. Don't worry. I'll take care of everything" she declared and managed a weak smile which made Konstantin's uneasiness somewhat fade away.

Alice held his hand tightly and as steadily as she could. "I'll get revenge father! This bastard is going to pay for what he did." Konstantin's eyes closed as he felt unable to keep them open. It seemed to require much effort. Alice feared the time was only seconds away and her sobs became louder. "I want you to... fight for... justice, not... vengeance... Promise me..." he managed to tell his daughter. Alice did so at once. "I promise you father. I love you so much..." she confessed in despair. Konstantin was too weak to respond. He just lay there, taking slow but deep breaths.

Suddenly, the sound of crackling startled her. She searched around to find out what was causing this strange noise. What she discovered left her stunned, her mouth slightly open due to what she was witnessing. Konstantin's feet had turned into crystal. He was slowly crystallizing. Alice looked at her father's face and touched his cheek with the back of her fingers. She tightly held his hand with her other one. "Father!" she called out in alertness. He opened his eyes one last time to look at the face of his beautiful daughter. Such cruel fate she had been cursed with. Such a heavy burden she had to carry from now on.

"It's all... up to you now..." he whispered. His last words though were the ones to comfort her and at the same time pain her the most. "I... love you too...". And then it happened. After closing his eyes, his spirit was gone. He took no more breaths. He felt no more pain. He fought no more. His duty had been fulfilled...

Before Alice could realize that her father was gone, she heard the sound of crackling with much more intensity this time. After some seconds the progress had been completed. Konstantin was nothing more than a lifeless, crystallized form. Alice screamed in desperation and began to mourn.

After some hours, she finally had no more tears to shed. Her throat had become sore because of all of her screaming and crying. After grieving for Konstantin, she began to think just a bit more rationally. First of all, she began to wonder why her father had turned into a crystallized form. What kind of creature would possess such a power? And what had caused this to him? She could only think of one answer; this man. He had probably performed some kind of ritual to crystallize Konstantin. But why? That was beyond her.

She wouldn't let Eckhardt win, she just couldn't allow this to happen. She would get her revenge. She would hunt him down and make him suffer. She owed this to her father. She may have hated the Order and its ways but she did owe this to her father. He was always kind to her, he taught her well and protected her no matter what the cost. "I'll make you proud, father. I promise" she murmured although she knew he could not hear her anymore.

"But first, I'll have to contact Kurtis..."


End file.
